The present invention provides a new and distinct variety of Verbena hybrida plant obtained from crossing a Verbena hybrida named `Amour White` (non-patented in the United States) (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant Verbena peruviana (.male.) native to Brazil.
The verbena is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of Verbena plants which have a spreading growth habit, much branching, a large number of flowers in a cluster and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, cold and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a spreading growth habit, strong branching, a large number of flowers in a cluster, a flower of large diameter, a high tolerance to heat and cold, and resistance to diseases and pests, and also having petals that are light purplish pink.
The new variety of verbena plant according to this invention originated from crossing a Verbena hybrida plant named `Amour White` (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant Verbena peruviana (.male.) that is native to Brazil.
Initially, 38 seedlings were obtained in the autumn of 1994, following the crossing of `Amour White` as the female parent and a wild type of verbena plant (Verbena peruviana f. rosea) as the pollen parent in the May of 1994. From this crossing, 3 seedlings were selected in view of their spreading growth habit and were propagatged by cuttings, and then grown as a trial in flower beds and planters beginning in the spring of 1995. Finally one seedling was selected in the autumn of 1995 and the botanical characteristics were examined, using the varieties `Sumaripi` (non-patented in the United States) and `Derby Salmon Rose` (non-patented in the United States) for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Verbena is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics. The new variety of verbena plant of the present invention was named `Sunmarisa`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
`Armour White` was used as the female parent when obtaining this new variety `Sunmarisa`. `Armour White` has an erect growth habit and is publicly available.
The pollen parent used in obtaining this new variety `Sunmarisa` was a wild type of Verbena peruviana native to South Brazil. This wild type of verbena plant is presently maintained at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The main botanical characteristics of this pollen parent are as follows when grown at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests and high tolerance to heat and cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, particularly powdery mildew. High tolerance to heat and moderate tolerance to cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological charactgeristics: Weak resistance to diseases, heat and cold. Moderate resistance to pests.
Growth habit.--Spreading. PA2 Plant height.--10-20 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--100-150 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.0-2.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 146A, J.H.S. 3509). PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Slightly curved. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, J.H.S. 8911). PA2 Color presentation.--Substantially even. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Opened. PA2 Flower cluster.--30-40 mm in length; and 50-60 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Absent. PA2 Peduncle.--1-2 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Plentiful (approximately 10-14) PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Short. PA2 Growth habit.--Spreading. PA2 Plant height.--15-25 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. PA2 Growth.--Very vigorous with abundant branching and great profusion of blooms; the entire plant remaining in bloom for an extended period of time. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Abundant. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--4.0-5.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--4.0-5.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-2.5 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Grayish olive green (R.H.S. 137A-137B, J.H.S. 3716). PA2 Pubescence.--Slight. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Ourward curvature of petal.--Curved. PA2 Diameter.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20 mm. PA2 Color.--Deep purplish pink (R.H.S. 70C, J.H.S. 9213). PA2 Color presentation.--Uneven. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Separate. PA2 Spike.--30-35 mm in length; and 50-55 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--2-3 mm in thickness; and 5.0-6.0 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Plentiful (approximately 13-15) PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 5 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Long. PA2 Growth habit.--Semi-erect. PA2 Plant extension.--Medium. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Absent. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--Medium. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Length.--Medium. PA2 Width.--Medium. PA2 Blode incision.--Absent. PA2 Color.--Dark green. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--None. PA2 Diameter.--Large. PA2 Height.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Vivid red (R.H.S. 52A, J.H.S. 0106). PA2 Color presentaion.--Substantially even. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Closed. PA2 Cluster.--Medium in length; and medium in diameter. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--Medium in thickness; and medium in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Medium. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 5 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium.
The `Sunmaripi` variety was used as a comparison for this new `Sunmarisa` variety. The main botanical characteristics of the `Sunmaripi` variety are as follows when grown at Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd. at 2913-1, Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakomo-gun, Yamanishi-ken, Japan.
`Derby Salmon Rose` (non-patent in the United States) was used as a comparison for this new variety `Sunmarisa`. The main botanical characteristics of `Derby Salmon Rose` are as follows when grown at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan.
This new variety of verbena plant `Sunmarisa` was asexually reproduced by cuttings at the aforementioned Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed. The characteristics of the new variety are fully stable following such asexual reproduction.